The Virgin and Child with St Anne

He took her in his arms, embraced her, lowered her back down into theferns…and being extra careful of her wounded arm, lay down there beside her, underthe waning glow of the burning Star. Luke stood in a forest clearing before a great pile of logs and branches. Lying,still and robed, atop the mound, was the lifeless body of Darth Vader. Luke set atorch to the kindling. As the flames enveloped the corpse, smoke rose from the vents in the mask,almost like a black spirit, finally freed. Luke stared with a fierce sorrow at theconflagration. Silently, he said his last goodbye. He, alone, had believed in thesmall speck of humanity remaining in his father. That redemption rose, now, withthese flames, into the night. Luke followed the blazing embers as they sailed to the sky. They mixed, there,in his vision, with the fireworks the Rebel fighters were setting off in victory